Author Jane Austen once wrote, “Those who do not complain are never pitied.” I was a mediocre English major in college. I won’t tell you I adored “Pride and Prejudice,” but I’ve always remembered that gut-wrenching line. To pity someone is to feel sorrow, compassion, and sadness due to their…
My twin brother, Aaron, has always been a fitness nut. When we were teenagers, he routinely invited his girlfriend at the time to come over and exercise with him. Exercise videos on VHS tapes were all the rage back then, so they’d perform intense aerobics in front of the TV…
Inside every person we know is another part of them we don’t know anything about. As adults, we often hide our pain, either out of pride or to spare others from worrying. My twin brother, Aaron, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 1999. But I didn’t realize until…
My fraternal twin brother, Aaron, who was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) 25 years ago, underwent surgery last week to correct his crossed eyes, or strabismus, and double vision. I’m glad to report that he’s recuperating at home, happy with the results and doing well. The operation was…
Incessant worrying doesn’t eliminate uncertainty about the future, only the peace of the present. I’m a worrier. I’m not proud of that, but it’s an ingrained personality trait. My twin brother, Aaron, who has myasthenia gravis (MG), is having strabismus surgery soon to correct his crossed eyes. I…
Most people try to live life as best they can in a chaotic world, but they never have the power to do what they really want to do. As the nondisabled brother of a twin with myasthenia gravis (MG), I feel I need to take my responsibilities as an advocate…
Unearned guilt is one of the most useless emotions in the world. Guilt never has a full belly. It feeds eternally upon itself and adds to what’s there. Unearned guilt glues itself to the soul and wearily weighs it down. As the Depeche Mode song “Halo” says, guilt is like…
The most crippling disability in the world is the mindset of nondisabled people who define people with disabilities by their physical limitations, refuse to view them as full human beings, or ignore their disabilities for self-serving purposes. I’ve been guilty of the latter offense for a long time. I know…
Hello! My name is Allen Francis. I’m a New York City native, former academic adviser, and currently a full-time freelance writer. Besides a need to lose a few pounds, a short battle with skin cancer, and some mild hypertension, I’m a moderately healthy person. I’m now a columnist for…
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